The fallen heroes
by CrazyGleek97
Summary: The holograms of those who had fallen were standing there in the middle of a place that held more emptiness than anything else. They had died heroes. And that's how they would be remembered. Like that and so, so much more. Tonight, before leaving team for good, Richard Grayson was paying them a visit.


The holograms of those who had fallen were standing there in the middle of a place that held more emptiness than anything else. The way you saw them depended on the mood you were in said day, or sometimes the mood you'd be on that day depended on whether you went to see them or not. And really, who cared just how confusing your feelings could get? Sometimes they brought good memories, sometimes they would make the hidden truth you know rise from the dark corners on your mind, those who you try to avoid at night while you sleep. Sometimes they just _hurt._

Richard Grayson looked at each and all of them, thinking, remembering. Tonight it hurt.

Tula. She had been a nice girl, always kind, always supportive, with a mind so set on her job it was admirable, it was _perfect,_ just how well she showed how good of a hero she could be. It seemed like she always knew just what to do, and when to do it. Except even that couldn't save her from her fatal fate. It had hurt several, but it had killed Kulder. To this day, it's still killing him.

"_You dare question me? After all of you let Tula die!" _

"_Kulder she knew the risks!"_

He had heard it, the cruel, hidden honesty behind those words. Kulder didn't mean to blame him, but the dark part on the Atlantean's mind did. It blamed Nightwing, and the team, and Kulder himself. And wasn't it just the cruelest response you could give to someone? It was also the biggest truth in this world. They all knew the risks.

"I am sorry." He whispered. He was.

Blue Beetle. Good man. Always a good man, just like his successor. Dick sighed, thinking about how hard it was for Jaime not having someone that could mentor him during his new life as a hero. He knew it wasn't easy, and he knew sometimes he asked too much from the boy, but that was just how things went on this life, and Jaime understood, or he would understand. There was no room for mistakes, there is no room for 'I can't' or 'I don't know how'. You give your best, and remember that not even those who have the experience, the mentors, the training, and the patience always make it to the end of the mission.

Jason Todd. The most haunting, painful memory this place held for Dick. He stared at it for a longer time than the others, million thoughts being crushed by million feelings. It was still so vivid on his mind, still so bone-chilling. The disappearance of Robin, the search, the warehouse, the explosion, everything. Kulder had just started his undercover mission, and Dick had just become leader.

_Seconds. Dick was seconds away from the warehouse, seconds away from Jason. And then it happened. Suddenly, without a warning, the place was blowing, fire was surrounding the area and big pieces of wood were flying._

"_Get down!" Conner yelled, throwing himself over Dick and shielding the other boy with his body. And Dick didn't comprehend. He didn't fully comprehend everything that was happening, except that Jason had been on that building, and that he needed to save him, he needed to save his brother._

"_No Jason!" He screamed "Get off me- Jason!" He moved Conner's weigh of him and quickly got on his feet, running around and scanning the area for the other boy. His breathing was too rapid, and his heartbeat was going crazy. He was scared, terrified, confused, acting out of instinct more than anything else. And then he saw it, a limp arm, sticking out from under a big piece of wood. He ran towards it, and in a matter of seconds, he and Conner had gotten rid of every piece of building that covered the Boy Wonder, revealing a sight that would forever stay on Richard's mind. Jason's lifeless body laid there in front of them, bloody, bruised, suit ripped and domino mask lost. His legs and arms were in odd positions, and blood was pouring out of the boy's mouth. _

_Dick's eyes filled with pain and he shut them tight, gritting his teeth. He kneeled in front of the boy and took him into his arms, looking at him, and even then, his mind still could not understand. How had he let this happen? He could hear the rest of the team arrive in the bio ship, but Dick didn't care about them, didn't care about anything but the body he was holding. Yes, Robin, had known the risks, but so had Dick, and he was team leader. He should've never let things get out of hand like this. He should've done something different, anything, he knew there was something he could've changed, but his mind couldn't place it. It didn't matter at the moment. There was only one thing his mind could truly, fully realize._

_There had been a death in the family._

The tears were starting to pool in Dick's eyes, and though he tried, he couldn't hold them back. That was fine, he could let them flow. He was alone, after all. He had time, and space, and no one but his thoughts to make him company. He was bound to cry sooner or later, might as well be now.

He remembered just how stressed he had gotten when Tim had joined the team, how upset the younger boy would get, feeling like Dick was just to protective of him. Tim understood, he did, but he needed to be trusted, he needed to work like the rest of his teammates. He wanted to grow, to prove that he could live up to Jason's memory, and Dick just wanted him as far away from Jason's path as possible.

"_Just don't die, ok?"_

That terrible day would remain in his head. Nightwing had failed the team, Dick had failed his little brother. That day the world had lost a hero, but a family had lost a child.

The tears were streaming more freely now, not like he could stop them if he tried. Their life was a battlefield, and they were the soldiers, from the most legendary, grown hero, to the youngest and inexperienced kid. All fighting for the same good, all facing the same dangers. Death was just behind the door, waiting to see if she had to knock or not. At the end of the day they all shared the same destiny, sooner or later, they would have to lose something.

Wally West.

Last person to join the list of the fallen heroes so far. He had done it, the ultimate sacrifice. He had saved the whole world, in exchange of his life. He wondered how many would know, how many would tell the difference between Wally and Bart, realize it was not the same person wearing a suit. Possibly the police officers, the fans of the Flash. How many would put two and two together and tell maybe the other guy was _gone_? Until this day, he wasn't sure if the League, and mainly Flash, were going to let the world know who had saved their lives, or just like the others, they would just keep their mouth shut, let the people make their own assumptions, let them think what they wanted. How big of a difference would it make to them anyway? He wondered how many realized that even though Kid Flash was a soldier, a hero, behind that mask was just a _person_, a young man with dreams and aspirations, like the rest of them. How many cared? The world would've mourned Kid Flash, and that was great, but his partners, his friends would mourn more than just that. His family would mourn more than just that. Artemis would mourn more than just that. They would mourn Wally West, beloved son, friend, and boyfriend.

Dick's shoulders were starting to tremble now, and he had to cover his eyes, stifle the sobs that threatened to escape his lips. He rubbed his eyes, and took a deep breath. Standing in front of him was no more than just the memory of who had been his best friend. He looked at him for a moment, million thoughts filling his head.

"I'm sorry." He choked out. He could _hear_ the tears in his voice, but he still kept going. "I'm sorry, I, I know how stressful I made this last year to you. The choices I made, I know you didn't understand, I know not a lot of people don't understand why I acted the way I did. Sometimes even I question some of the stuff I did." The tears kept going, and his voice kept breaking, sometimes going lower. "But you were there, even when you didn't want to, even when you hated me, you were there." This time, a small, sad smile formed on his lips. "Questioning my objectivity." He said. "That's what a best pal is for." And with that last thing said, his composure broke. He put his face on his hands, and he felt his body starting to shake. Tears were streaming down his face faster than they did before, and he was having a hard time controlling his sobs. "There is one sacrifice though, Wally, one thing I would've never given." He managed to say through his break down.

There are several haunting truths you have to face in this life. The reality that you're going to have to see tragedy from an extreme, different point of view, see how everything gets lost. Young people would lose their innocence way too soon. Sometimes you would have to lose someone, sometimes you would have to make sacrifices, and sometimes you would have to bare the guilt.

Death was just around the corner, you were never too wise, too experienced, too good, too powerful to avoid. It could find you in a moment of weakness, and get you. And that was just something they would have to accept.

He knew some would try to leave this life, avoid the fates designed, like Wally did. But he was the biggest example, there was just not walking out. It was inside you, being a hero, putting your life at risk in order to save others. Like Artemis said, they wouldn't give it up until their dying day. And it was true.

None of these people had given up, until their dying moment, until their last breath.

They had died heroes.

And that's how they would be remembered. Like that and so, so much more.

* * *

_So what would you think of me now?  
So lucky, so strong and so proud.  
I never said "thank you" for that,  
now I'll never have the chance._

_May angels lead you in,  
Hear you me my friends.  
On sleepless roads  
the sleepless go.  
May angels lead you in. _


End file.
